Still firing on one cylinder!

[og-loc99]

hello hows everybody doing.... I've been throwing this xs together for 3 months and i finally got it started.... its idles fine just on one cylinder, I've sealed the manifolds with rtv sealant every time i cleaned the carbs...I've clean the carbs 3 times with carb cleaner in every nook and cranny. Ive swapped the plugs to make sure they both are working, and even tested each coil wire to make sure there was spark. if i spray starter fluid in the dead cylinder its starts for a few seconds then stops.... if i cover up the air hole a bit it starts back firing a lot...

idk what else to do and its really starting to frustrate me, i kno its getting air fuel and spark... and i can feel in the kicker there is a lot of compression

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks Anthony

 

[og-loc99]

also if i crank the throttle the other cylinder will fire just doesn't idle running

 

[ippytattoo]

My first suggestion, if you are absolutely sure you have gotten the pilot circuit in the carb clean, is to check the sync screw in between the carbs because that carbs buitterfly may be completely closed. It's woth a look anyway. Also check your idle mixture screw in the carb for the dead cylinder.

 

[XSLeo]

Have you read the carb guide? www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf
The main reason the XS650 won't fire at idle on one side is the idle circuit is plugged.
For a beginner it can take quite a few tries to get these tiny passages clean, My first set of carbs took me 6 or 7 times before I got them clean.
After a few carbs sets I'm down to once or twice to get them clean.
The carb guide tells how to get these tiny passages clean.
Leo

 

[og-loc99]

thanks for the advice guys much appreciated

 

[fredintoon]

hello hows everybody doing.... I've been throwing this xs together for 3 months - - -
idk what else to do and its really starting to frustrate me, i kno its getting air fuel and spark... and i can feel in the kicker there is a lot of compression

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks Anthony

Hi Anthony,
if you build your bike model into your signature folks won't have to open your profile to see what it is.
Old man bitching ends, now trying to be helpful.
You have a '79, it still got it's stock points and separate coils?
No cost experiment:- Swap 'em over.
Change the plug wires to the other plugs and swap the grey and orange coil feed wires to the other coils; now the coils are firing the other cylinders.
If the problem moves to the other cylinder it's ignition. If it don't, it ain't.
Most likely it's carbs but if the problem don't move you can be sure about it.
Spraying even the most vigorous solvent into the carbs is only half the battle.
Along with the solvent spray you gotta tear those carbs completely apart, poke guitar strings through every jet and orifice and don't forget the tiny holes in the enrichening circuit. And check the ends of the slow running adjustment needles, they are really thin and have been known to break off and jam in the matching hole in the carb body if the dreaded PO was too rough with them and there went your slow running.
Just been re-learning the carb cleaning thing with my Heritage after it'd been parked for years.
Wouldn't even fire before, starts & runs real good now.

 

[barelycompetent]

If you have the bs34 carbs, there is a tiny o ring under the mix screws, if it is bad or original replace it in both carbs as the bike will never idle right if its bad. Since the bike wakes up both cylinders when you rev it, as suggested its the idle circuit being plugged on the one carb. Take it out and give it a GOOD cleaning, and the only way to really clean it is to take out the mix screws, the o ring, washer and spring underneath the screw, blow cleaner and compressed air thru the passages. The carb guide on here is very simple and easy to follow. I had the same thing on my bike, and the guidance from the guys on here, and the carb guide got me going again, that and replacing those o rings under the mix screw.